Amerks' turnover issues hand them loss
- Brayden Peters
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
By: Brayden Peters / Assistant Sports Director
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Rochester Americans couldn't send their fans home happy with a win Friday night, falling to the Laval Rocket 4-2. Rochester outshot Laval 42-to-19 and were unable to put away multiple high danger scoring chances. Costly turnovers and out of position defenders that left puck carriers all alone for goals hurt the Amerks. Three of the four goals scored by the Rocket came from players who were all alone with goalie Devon Levi.
"When we made a mistake, it was just in the wrong areas of the ice," Amerks assistant coach Nathan Paestch said. "Whether it was a turnover, behind the net or when we left the slot open or it was a high ice turnover in the o-zone...bounces didn't go our way...the quality wasn't there, we got more quantity."
Rochester struggled on the power play, even on a five-on-three man advantage that happened with 4:48 left in the second period. The Amerks went zero-for-three on the power play.
"We got looks," Paestch said. "I thought the five-on-three kind of gave them a little momentum, we didn't score there. You almost get a full two minute, you want to probably take the lead there."
Defenseman Vsevolod Komarov led the Amerks in points with two (zero + two).
Levi recorded 15 saves for a .789 save percentage in the contest for Rochester.
The Amerks active on offense to start the first period. Halfway through the frame, Rochester was outshooting Laval eight-to-three.
Rochester was able to capitalize on one of their scoring chances with 3:36 left in the period. Center Graham Slaggert redirected a wrist shot from defenseman Vsevolod Komarov into the top right corner of the cage. Komarov and Johnson were credited with assists.
Slaggert scores off a redirection on Friday, April 11, 2025. (X-Rochester Americans)
Slaggert's goal would be the only one of the first period. Rochester outshot the Rocket 11-to-seven.
The tables turned in the second frame as Laval tied the game up with 16:18 remaining. Right winger Sean Farrell was all alone in the high slot and ripped a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net.
A little under three minutes after Farrell's goal, the Rocket broke the scoreless tie to give them a 2-1 lead. While on the power play, center Laurent Dauphin got the loose puck from a scrum in front of the net and poked it in.
Regardless of Rochester being down, they continued getting scoring chances, with them being progressively higher. The Amerks were outshooting Laval 11-to-four with 10 minutes remaining in the period.
Soon enough, Rochester was able to find the back of net to knot things up with 9:35 left. Center Konsta Helenius drove up ice towards Rocket center Xavier Simoneau. Helenius deked to his left past Simoneau and fired a backhand shot into the top left corner of the net. Komarov and left winger Jagger Joshua picked up assists on the goal. Helenius' goal was his fourth in his last three games, as things have changed in the right direction for him with having consistent production.
"Just the little things," Helenius said. "Winning 50/50 battles, that makes me feel better and of course I get the puck more. I like to play a lot with the puck, so if I win more battles, I get more chances and I can be more creative."
Helenius buries his backhand shot to tie the game up 2-2 on Friday, April 11, 2025. (X-Rochester Americans)
The Amerks kept pushing on offense and started to prevent Laval from entering the o-zone, forcing multiple turnovers. Rochester was outshooting the Rocket 18-to-six with five minutes left in the frame. Consistent physicality from the Amerks also helped slow down Laval.
"We knew that we were going to have to be hard tonight," Slaggert said. "I thought we did a good job being physically engaged and be prepared to go to battle."
Both sides were unable to snap the tie before the end of the period. The Amerks outshot Laval 23-to-six.
The Rocket snapped the tie and took the lead back not even two minutes into the third period. Defenseman Noel Hoefenmayer found the top right corner of the net on a wrist shot from the point.
Center Jared Davidson helped put the game away for Laval with 3:38 left in the contest. After a failed breakout attempt, Davidson, who was all alone in the low slot, put away a rebound that Levi coughed up past his glove side.
Rochester dropped to a 41-21-4-3- record and remain in second in the North Division. As for the Rocket, they improved to 45-18-3-2 and remain in first in the division.
The Amerks will host the Cleveland Monsters next Wednesday. Rochester is 6-1 against Cleveland this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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